You would think, but I’ve worked for some really bad managers in the past that could benefit from some self reflection if they were capable. While the ex-employee’s actions might have been inexcusable, they might not have been unprovoked.

I don’t know what this ex-employee did, whether they merely deleted files, performed a quick format, or wrote over the data. In addition to the possibility of wiping the entire drive, there are also secure delete utilities that wipe individual files, but It’s quite possible they aren’t sophisticated and the data is all still there if a person knows how to find it.

When I perform data destruction for clients, I usually use the drive’s built in secure erase feature because it’s the fastest way to wipe a drive and also ensures that spare sectors get erased as well.

OP explicitly stated they are not and that OP intends to keep it that way.

Definitely sounds like a scammer to me, using multiple tactics to manipulate you into caving. She probably has lots of experience rattling people’s cages to get her way. I’m not surprised someone with your background (as you described elsewhere) snapped.

It sounds like you merely answered them with the same demeanor and vocabulary they brought to the conversation. NTA, but you would have been better served by not escalating to their level.

It’s good to set firm boundaries regarding how you let people treat you and your staff and it’s good to refuse to be bullied into violating laws and policies. Sometimes enforcing good boundaries means you have to firmly instruct a person to leave the business, but it’s better not to call them names when you do so.